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Birth Control Hormones: The Shot

Topic Overview

What is the shot?

The shot is used to prevent pregnancy. You get the shot in your upper arm or rear end (buttocks). The shot gives you a dose of the hormone progestin. The shot is often called by its brand name, Depo-Provera.

Progestin prevents pregnancy in these ways: It thickens the mucus in the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to travel into the uterus. It also thins the lining of the uterus, which makes it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Progestin can sometimes stop the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation).

The shot provides birth control for 3 months at a time. You then need another shot.

The shot can cause bone loss. Most women can use it safely for up to 2 years and then may choose to switch to another form of birth control. Some women may be able to use the shot for more than 2 years.

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